Angelika Zollmann

Angelika Zollmann (born 1954 in the Hessian Rhön) has a daughter with two children and a stepdaughter with three children. She has been involved in the women’s health movement for many years.

Career

Angelika Zollmann has been involved in the new women’s movement since 1974 and has been active in the women’s health movement ever since. Issues of gender equity in society, gender-sensitive health policy and the support of socially disadvantaged women and women affected by poverty are as close to her heart as health education for immigrant and refugee women and their health care. During roughly the first twenty years of her working life, Angelika Zollmann worked in autonomous, grassroots-democratically organised projects of the women’s movement: first at the Frauengesundheitszentrum (Women’s Health Centre) in Bremen and later at the Feministisches Frauengesundheitszentrum Frankfurt am Main (Feminist Women’s Health Centre).¹

Subsequently, from 2008 until her retirement in 2020, she was responsible for health issues at the Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau (ZGF) (Bremen Central Office for the Realisation of Women’s Equality).²

Following her interest in new alternative ways of living and housing, Zollmann has in recent years also been involved in networking community-oriented joint building groups (Baugemeinschaften) in Bremen and is one of three supervisory board members of the cooperative of the Karl housing project.³ ⁴

Commitment to women’s health policy

Angelika Zollmann’s wide-ranging involvement began while she was studying social sciences at the University of Bremen. She joined the movement against Section 218. In 1979 this gave rise to the initiative to found a Frauengesundheitszentrum (FGZ) (Women’s Health Centre) in Bremen, in which Zollmann took part. The FGZ Bremen opened in 1983; at first the women worked there without public funding, later with its support. Angelika Zollmann worked at the FGZ as a counsellor. From 1983 to 2003 the FGZ received public funding. After that, the women continued to work there, with a reduced programme from 2016 until the association closed and was dissolved in 2017.⁵

During these years, Angelika Zollmann twice interrupted her commitment to women’s health issues. In 1984 she and others set up the office of the Kulturzentrum Lagerhaus (Lagerhaus Cultural Centre) in Schildstraße in Bremen. Since 2006 Zollmann has been a member of the association’s board there.⁶ From 1985 to 1987 Zollmann lived with her family in Tanzania.⁷ ⁸

After her return in 1988, she resumed women’s health work in Bremen: first at the Frauengesundheitszentrum Bremen e. V., before moving to Frankfurt am Main a year later to get involved in the Feministisches Frauengesundheitszentrum e. V. (FFGZ) there. After a period of voluntary and later paid work, she became one of its managing directors. In 1996 she went to the USA for a year. There she worked in an advisory capacity at the National Women’s Health Network, a US lobbying organisation for women’s health, in Washington, D.C.⁹ ¹⁰

In 1997 she was able to bring the insights gained from this work to the FFGZ, thereby enriching the centre’s substantive activities. Here, together with her colleagues, she was responsible for representing the FFGZ at municipal, state and federal level. Her many years of professional experience in counselling and in the field of women’s health enabled her to inform and lecture on women’s health knowledgeably and persuasively. In her talks she described the shortcomings in women’s health care and research and addressed topics such as the menopause, medicalisation, naturopathic treatments, health and migration, unnecessary hysterectomies (surgical removal of the uterus) and the connection between poverty and health. She pointed out gaps in care, helped to build new networks and sought cooperation with independent and established institutions in conventional medicine. In those years, around fifty women worked together in eight different areas at the Frankfurt Feministisches Frauengesundheitszentrum. As part of the management there, Angelika Zollmann was a reliable networker who built up and maintained contacts with municipal institutions and with city and state politics, and ensured professional exchange. The interdisciplinary cooperation at the FFGZ matched Zollmann’s idea of meaningful health work that is not only concerned with eliminating physical symptoms but also takes societal, psychological and social conditions into account.¹¹

Angelika Zollmann always acted in line with the concept of health defined by the WHO: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”¹² She consistently took this position as a spokeswoman and representative of the women’s health centres when campaigning and fighting for gender-equitable women’s health work. She appeared at events and also represented the interests of the women’s health movement nationwide.¹³ For example, Zollmann sat on the panel at a congress on the menopause, medicalisation, hormone therapies and alternative treatment options as an expert on the topic and as a representative of the Bundesverband der Frauengesundheitszentren (Federal Association of Women’s Health Centres).¹⁴

Activities in networks, associations and working groups

Overall, Zollmann’s various involvements in working groups and her memberships in groups and associations were very constructive. She initiated several working groups. In 1995 she became a member of the Arbeitskreis Frauengesundheit in Medizin, Psychotherapie und Gesellschaft (AKF) e. V. (Working Group on Women’s Health in Medicine, Psychotherapy and Society).¹⁵

From 2004 to 2007 she was active there as a speaker at AKF conferences.¹⁶

From 1998 she was a board member of the Bundesverband der Frauengesundheitszentren e. V. ¹⁷ and the association’s representative in the Nationales Netzwerk Frauengesundheit (National Network for Women’s Health). Beyond national borders, Zollmann was active in the European Women’s Health Network (EWHNET), a European project (1997–2001) whose aim was to make the specific needs of women in the health system and in health care visible, to promote and develop women-centred health strategies across Europe and to network women’s health projects.¹⁸

After her time in Frankfurt am Main, Zollmann moved back to Bremen in 2005, where she headed the Landesvereinigung für Gesundheit (LVG) Bremen e. V. (State Association for Health) as managing director until 2008.

In addition, from 2006 to 2008 she coordinated the Bremer Forum Frauengesundheit (Bremen Women’s Health Forum) on behalf of the Institut für Public Health und Pflegeforschung (IPP) (Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research).¹⁹

As a volunteer at the FGZ Bremen, she gave talks on women’s health topics in the city and the surrounding area until the FGZ was dissolved.

From 2008 until the end of her working life in 2020, Angelika Zollmann was responsible for health at the Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau (ZGF).²⁰ Here, too, her work focused on equality, women’s health, the promotion of natural childbirth and the social participation of disadvantaged women.²¹ ²² As part of her post, she also dealt with topics such as medicalisation and unnecessary gynaecological procedures on women, the abolition of Section 218, and the pros and cons of screening methods and vaccinations (mammography screening, HPV vaccination).

She was managing director of the bremer forum frauengesundheit, where she dealt with health care for socially disadvantaged, immigrant and refugee women.²³ ²⁴

Zollmann campaigned for barrier-free women’s health care and for gynaecological care for women with mobility impairments. As one of the first results of her efforts, Bremen’s first barrier-free gynaecological practice opened on 7 October 2011.²⁵ ²⁶

Zollmann also addressed the issue of human rights violations and female genital mutilation; in 2019 a new counselling service on this topic was established.²⁷

Since 2005 Angelika Zollmann has been committed to alternative forms of housing and living. She is involved in the cooperatively built and developed project Karl eG. In this grassroots-democratically organised housing project, fifty adults and twenty children from different generations live together. Today Angelika Zollmann is one of the cooperative’s three supervisory board members and contributes her extensive project experience.²⁸ ²⁹ ³⁰

External links

Portrait of Angelika Zollmann as “FLINTA* des Monats September 2025” (FLINTA* of the Month, September 2025) on frauenseiten.bremen
Website of the Arbeitskreis Frauengesundheit in Medizin, Psychotherapie und Gesellschaft (AKF) e. V.
Website of KARL – solidarisch bauen und wohnen Genossenschaft
Website of the Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau (ZGF)
Website of the Bundesverband der Frauengesundheitszentren e. V.

Machine translation: This article was translated automatically from the German original.

1
ahk (2014): Rat im geschützen Rahmen. In: Kreiszeitung, article of 7 February. Available online at: https://www.kreiszeitung.de/lokales/verden/geschuetzen-rahmen-3352665.html (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
2
n. a. (n. d.): Expert*innen. In: Website of the Fachdialognetz für Gleichstellung bei sexuellen und reproduktiven Rechten. Available online at: https://www.fachdialognetz.de/index.php?id=72&lsUid=185 (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
3
n. a. (2009): Veranstaltung „Zielerreichung im Quartier“. In: Programm des 15. Kongresses „Armut und Gesundheit“. Gesundheit für alle – Ethik im Spannungsfeld. Berlin, 4 and 5 December 2009. Available online at: https://www.dnrfk.de/fileadmin/user_upload/website/dnrfk/Veranstaltungen/09-09-22_KongressProgramm.pdf (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
4
KARL (n. d.): Impressum. In: Website of KARL – solidarisch bauen und wohnen Genossenschaft. Available online at: https://karl-bremen.de/impressum/ (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
5
Angelika Zollmann in conversation with the author. ↩︎
6
Kulturzentrum Lagerhaus (n. d.): Impressum. In: Website of the Kulturzentrum Lagerhaus. Available online at: https://www.kulturzentrum-lagerhaus.de/service/6/impressum (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
7
Angelika Zollmann in conversation with the author. ↩︎
8
K., Jana (2025): FLINTA* des Monats: Angelika Zollmann. In: frauenseiten.bremen, portrait of 4 September. Available online at: https://frauenseiten.bremen.de/blog/flinta-des-monats-angelika-zollmann/ (accessed on 9 September 2025). ↩︎
9
Angelika Zollmann in conversation with the author. ↩︎
10
K., Jana (2025): FLINTA* des Monats: Angelika Zollmann. In: frauenseiten.bremen, portrait of 4 September. Available online at: https://frauenseiten.bremen.de/blog/flinta-des-monats-angelika-zollmann/ (accessed on 9 September 2025). ↩︎
11
Zollmann, Angelika (2013): Dies ist kein Vortrag, sondern der Versuch einer kurzen Geschichtsschreibung 35 Jahre FFGZ aus meiner Erinnerung und Sicht (v. a. von 1988–2005), September. In: frankfurt.de. Available online at: https://frankfurt.de/-/media/frankfurtde/service-und-rathaus/verwaltung/aemter-und-institutionen/frauenreferat/pdf/frauengesundheit/35-jahre-ffgz.ashx (accessed on 21 August 2025). ↩︎
12
World Health Organization (1946): Constitution. In: Website of the WHO. Available online at: https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
13
Groth, Sylvia (2004): Wechseljahre in Bewegung: Frauengesundheitsbewegt Interessen vertreten. In: Jahn, Ingeborg (ed.): wechseljahre multidisziplinär. was wollen Frauen – was brauchen Frauen. Schriftenreihe zur Gesundheitsanalyse, vol. 28. Sankt Augustin: Asgard-Verl. Hippe. ISBN 3-537-44028-6, pp. 119–138, here p. 130. Available online at: https://www.barmer.de/resource/blob/1022816/c8ba4bcf78ae96058d3817e8af26a7ac/gek-wechseljahre-28-data.pdf (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
14
Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau (ZGF) (2003): BREMER ERKLÄRUNG: Wechsel sind gesund – kongress wechseljahre multidisziplinär wertet Lebensphase auf. In: Website of the Pressestelle des Senats Bremen, press release of 24 February. Available online at: https://www.senatspressestelle.bremen.de/pressemitteilungen/bremer-erklaerung-wechsel-sind-gesund-kongress-wechseljahre-multidisziplinaer-wertet-lebensphase-auf-16752 (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
15
Arbeitskreis Frauengesundheit e. V. (2024): Newsletter. In: Website of the AKF, 5/2024. Available online at: https://www.arbeitskreis-frauengesundheit.de/2024/11/19/newsletter-5-2024/ (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
16
Schulz, Sybill/Sonntag, Ute/Zollmann, Angelika (2010): Forum 2: Gegen Konkurrenz für Vernetzung. Netzwerke für Frauengesundheit. Dokumentation der 17. AKF-Jahrestagung vom 6.–7. November 2010 in Berlin: „Frauengesundheit: Kooperation zwischen Konkurrenz und Solidarität“. In: Website of the AKF. Available online at: https://www.arbeitskreis-frauengesundheit.de/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/netzwerke_frauengesundheit_schulz_sonntag_zollmann_akf_jahrestagung_2010.pdf (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
17
Bundesverband der Frauengesundheitszentren e. V. (n. d.): Über uns. In: Website of the Bundesverband der Frauengesundheitszentren e. V. Available online at: https://www.frauengesundheitszentren.de/ueberuns/ueber_uns1.htm (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
18
Women’s Mental Health Prevention Centre Naples, Italy (n. d.): EWHNET. In: Website of the Women’s Mental Health Prevention Centre Naples, Italy. Available online at: https://www.salutementaledonna.it/ewhnet.htm (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
19
Reimann, Bärbel (ed.) (2010): Bremer Forum Frauengesundheit. In: Die Senatorin für Arbeit, Frauen, Gesundheit, Jugend und Soziales/Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau (ed.): Bremer Frauenstadt Buch. p. 188. Available online at: https://d-nb.info/1014428424/34 (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
20
Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau (2013): Neu im Netz: „Frauengesundheit(en) in Bremen“. In: Website of the Pressestelle des Senats Bremen, press release of 29 April. Available online at: https://www.senatspressestelle.bremen.de/pressemitteilungen/neu-im-netz-frauengesundheit-en-in-bremen-68242?asl=bremen02.c.730.de (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
21
Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau (2013): Neu im Netz: „Frauengesundheit(en) in Bremen“. In: Website of the Pressestelle des Senats Bremen, press release of 29 April. Available online at: https://www.senatspressestelle.bremen.de/pressemitteilungen/neu-im-netz-frauengesundheit-en-in-bremen-68242?asl=bremen02.c.730.de (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
22
Malzahn, Jürgen/Schulte, Karola (2015): Kaiserschnitt. Ein Hauch von Kulturwandel. In: G+G Gesundheit und Gesellschaft. Das AOK-Forum für Politik, Praxis und Wissenschaft, 18(9), pp. 14–15, here p. 15. Available online at: https://archiv.gg-digital.de/imperia/md/gug/archiv/g+g_9_15.pdf (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
23
Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau/Freie Hasenstadt Bremen (2018): Forum Gesundheit. In: Idem (ed.): Geflüchtete Frauen und Mädchen im Land Bremen: Bilanz und Perspektive. Dokumentation des Fachtags der Bremischen Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau am 13. September 2018. pp. 31–32. Available online at: https://www.fachdialognetz.de/fileadmin/pfm/formUploads/files/ZGF_Projektabschluss_Frauen_Flucht.pdf (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
24
bremer forum frauengesundheit (2010): Fachtag zur Gesundheitsversorgung von Migrantinnen in Bremen am 27. Oktober. Öffentliche Podiumsdiskussion. In: Website of the Pressestelle des Senats Bremen, press release of 25 October. Available online at: https://www.senatspressestelle.bremen.de/pressemitteilungen/fachtag-zur-gesundheitsversorgung-von-migrantinnen-in-bremen-am-27-oktober-35993 (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
25
Bremische Zentralstelle für die Verwirklichung der Gleichberechtigung der Frau/Freie Hasenstadt Bremen (2011): Am 7. Oktober ist es endlich soweit: Bremens erste barrierefreie gynäkologische Praxis öffnet ihre Türen. In: Website of SelbstBestimmt Leben e. V., press release of 7 October. Available online at: https://www.slbremen-ev.de/dokumente/upload/008ab_111007-pm_gyn_ambulanz.pdf (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
26
Janz, Liane (2012): Mit dem Rollstuhl in die Praxis. In: Weserkurier, article of 19 November. Available online at: https://www.weser-kurier.de/bremen/mit-dem-rollstuhl-in-die-praxis-doc7e3xhfvxko311mmvgfxl (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
27
Bruhn, Eiken (2019): Neues Beratungsangebot in Bremen: Das Schweigen brechen. In: taz Online, article of 29 April. Available online at: https://taz.de/Neues-Beratungsangebot-in-Bremen/!5588020/ (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
28
KARL (n. d.): Impressum. In: Website of KARL – solidarisch bauen und wohnen Genossenschaft. Available online at: https://karl-bremen.de/impressum/ (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
29
Akademie für Quartiersbildung (n. d.): Website of the academy. Available online at: https://akademie-fuer-quartiersbildung.de/ (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎
30
Gemeinschaftliche Wohnprojekte Bremen (n. d.): Website of the housing projects. Available online at: https://wohnprojektebremen.de/ (accessed on 2 September 2025). ↩︎